निवृत्तिः परमो धर्मो निवृत्तिः परमं सुखम् ।
मनसा विनिवृत्तानां धर्मस्य निचयो महान् ॥
मनःपूर्वागमा धर्मा अधर्माश्च न संशयः ।
मनसा बध्यते चापि मुच्यते चापि मानवः ॥
निगृहीते भवेत्स्वर्गो विसृष्टे नरको ध्रुवः ।
nivṛttiḥ paramo dharmo nivṛttiḥ paramaṁ sukham |
manasā vinivṛttānāṁ dharmasya nicayo mahān ||
manaḥ-pūrvāgamā dharmā adharmāś ca na saṁśayaḥ |
manasā badhyate cāpi mucyate cāpi mānavaḥ ||
nigṛhīte bhavet svargo visṛṣṭe narako dhruvaḥ |
(Mahābhārata: 13.213.41–43)
“Desistance (nivṛtti) is the ultimate dharma. Desistance is the ultimate happiness. Those have amply desisted by mind have a vast accumulation of dharma. Dharma and adharma are of prior appearance in the mind [i.e., dharma and adharma first arise in the mind and then manifest in the form of action]. There is no doubt [of this]. A human being is bound and also liberated by means of the mind. When [the mind is] controlled, Svarga shall manifest, and when released [i.e., left uncontrolled], Naraka is certain.”